Rodgers missed nearly two months with a crack in his collar bone. It's not crazy to think that the layoff, combined with lingering concerns about the injury, would lead to the Packers taking a safer approach in their game plan.

"To me, that goes back to the decision," McCarthy said Friday, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "If we were thinking that way, the decision wouldn't be what it is. The decision's been made. Obviously it was a thorough one. And it's time for Aaron to play.

"We're going to cut him loose and we're going to go play. We're going to play to win."

Battista: To play or not to play?

Judy Battista explores the tricky nature of key calls made by the
Packers and
Cowboys ahead of crucial Week 17 matchups.
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Fair enough, but this is where the presence of Eddie Lacy is especially precious. The running back -- a favorite for the Offensive Rookie of the Year Award -- will play a key role in Rodgers' assimilation process.

The Bears have allowed an astounding 161.5 yards per game on the ground. Even without Rodgers, the Packers were going to lean hard on Lacy to attack the soft underbelly of Chicago's defense.

Rodgers doesn't have to be the star Sunday. The Bears are the ideal opponent in the quarterback's first game back.